Trump Knew of UK Sanctions on Settlements, Did Not Intervene

The United States was aware of the United Kingdom's intention to impose new sanctions on Israeli settlements but chose not to prevent the move, according to Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, citing senior American officials and Western diplomats. A conversation took place between British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and President Donald Trump before the sanctions were announced. Sources familiar with the matter stated that Burnham informed Trump of the planned action, and Trump expressed no objection or request for reconsideration. Furthermore, U.S. administration officials conveyed to their British counterparts that Washington shared concerns regarding the actions of the Netanyahu government in the West Bank, though they did not explicitly endorse the sanctions themselves. This U.S. stance was also reflected in comments by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who, when questioned about the British action, refrained from condemning it. Rubio stated, "The President did not respond to it, and neither did I. The British informed us they were going to make this decision. We heard their arguments for why."

Rubio added, "We share the goal of stability in the West Bank. We do not want to see an increase in violence or tension in the West Bank during a sensitive period in the region," indicating a U.S. alignment with the objective of regional stability without direct support for the specific British measure.